Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Start your summer reading with these 5 poems

Summer break has begun, finals have finished and the smell of campfires is in the air. The days of sunshine, beach days and reunions are here. What will you do without assigned readings? Here are five poems with summer elements to inspire a literary appreciation for the season.

“Lil Mermaidz” by Tayi Tibble

Tayi Tibble is an Indigenous writer from New Zealand. She has two published collections of poetry, “Poūkahangatus” and “Rangikura.” As a decorated author, she has won awards such as the Adam Foundation Prize for best manuscript in 2017 and Best First Book of Poetry at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards in 2019. 

Her poem “Lil Mermaidz” captures distinct memories of growing up through New Zealand summers. She writes about femininity, potential and māori tradition. This poem works to remind readers of past summers and encourage them to embrace the sweat, thirst and adventure that is approaching.

“Violet Bent Backwards Over The Grass” by Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey, a name recognized for her impressive musical discography, also holds the title of poet. In 2020 she published her debut poetry book titled “Violet Bent Backwards Over The Grass.” Her writing is personal and journalistic, gently reflecting on specific memories and moments of her life. 

The titular poem opening of the book, “Violet Bent Backwards Over The Grass,” is a reminder of softness and childhood. This poem is the author’s realization that she must appreciate what is simple and channel youthful bliss to calm her anxiety, setting the tone for an uncomplicated summer.

“Camp” by Joshua McKinney

Joshua McKinney, an awarded poet, currently has five published collections of poetry, with his latest “Sad Animal” winning the inaugural John Ridland Poetry Prize in 2024. McKinney is a professor in the English department at Sacramento State extending his love of poetry to students. His work questions faith, explores style and form, grief and connection.

McKinney’s poem, “Camp” presents a contrast of summers from boyhood to serious heats of war or complicated fears in adulthood. This poem addresses the threat of time passing while still recognizing the parallels with past selves.

“Our Side Of The Creek” by Yusef Komunyakaa

Yusef Komunyakaa is a poet with many published and awarded collections, his achievements include the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. His writing is inspired by experiences growing up around the Christian church and serving in the Vietnam War as a journalist.

“Our Side of the Creek” paints a picture of southern summer. The poem is warm and kind, highlighting youthful freedom, nature and landscape. In tangent, the poem ties in reminders of racism and segregation in the Jim Crow era. Having these two contrasting themes work together to point out the power of childhood.

“Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” by William Shakespeare

One of the most popular names in poetry and English is William Shakespeare, known for “Romeo and Juliet,” “Hamlet” and “154 Sonnets.”  A Renaissance author, his work was inspired by, but moved away from, Medieval period writing. His poetry holds themes of humanity, psychology, love and morality. His writing styles informed poetry’s evolution and are still popular today.

One of his popular sonnets, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” captures the beauty of the subject and the summer through this comparison. Shakespeare writes that the subject of the poem surpasses even the beauty of summer by being constant while days are fleeting. Readers can take inspiration to soak in the details of summer and find things that share its beauty outside of timeframes and seasons.